West Ham Online

"I thought you might like this video.



It's a compilation of different birds singing. Beautiful photography. If you expand the 'title' under the video it gives a list of species and the times they pop up in the video. Most of the species are familiar to us in the UK, but there are some 'exotics' (the cranes - wow, what a noise!) It was filmed in Belarus. The guy has a channel you can subscribe to. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it and maybe it'll take your mind off you-know-what for a few blessed minutes."

I was walking in the hills and saw that the swallows are back here. Also for quite a while I watched some large buzzard like bird riding the thermals on some cliffs. It was impressive how fast it fly up a cliff without even flapping it's wings.

..a bit like the time when I'd loaded the Merlin app on my phone and I was sitting in the garden - there was a bird singing that I could not identify nor could the app - until I walked into the kitchen and realised it was by daughter's new bread maker- stupid boy

Nurse Ratched" wrote: ↑26 Mar 2025, 11:07

zebthecat wrote: ↑22 Mar 2025, 21:44 Hmm...
You have a point.

Well this is a bit embarrassing. Re Merlin telling me I had a tawny owl in my garden/environs. I have one of those kitsch RSPB wall clocks that plays a different birdsong on the hour...

zebthecat wrote: ↑22 Mar 2025, 21:44 Hmm...
You have a point.

I just love watching the Cassowary birds fly into my garden at this time of year.

I always notice the chiff chaffs at this time of year. They sing from the silver birches in our street.  I also saw a very dapper pied wagtail yesterday.

Hmm...
You have a point.

During the day? And in Da Hood?

As it happens I would not be surprised if it was a tawny owl Nurse.
It is owl chorus time here,. There are a male and female calling each to other from the same oak tree over the back of my garden right now with other hoots responding from further away as well. I love this time.
 

Yes there do appear to be more insects out and about and it is still early.
Two cool things this week - Saw a Red Kite cruising overhead yesterday for only the second time here. Also the bats came out to hunt for the first time on Tuesday (All those yummy insects and warm weather). I love watching the little critters dart all over the place for their snacks.
Love starlings too..

Seeing a few more insects now it’s turned a bit warmer . There were a pair of Oystercatchers amongst gulls on a football pitch here in Eversley this morning .

Anybody else seeing lots of flying insects? Maybe they're on a bit of a bounce back.

Meanwhile, Merlin just spazzed out and told me I have a tawny owl in my urban garden in broad daylight. To be fair there were a couple of sharp "kew-it!" but there were starlings in the garden, so I presume one was doing his Mike Yarwood bit.

MaryMillingtonsGhost wrote: ↑12 Mar 2025, 15:45 I'm no expert on our feathered friends, but am reasonably certain I just spotted a red kite circling my garden.
Absolutely majestic creature.

I’ve got one of those nut feeders with a cage around it to stop squirrels from getting at them. The other day I saw that what I think was a bank vole who managed to climb up and squeeze inside it, enjoying a feast.

I love it this time of year as the owls are really noisy.
It is very reassuring.

I'm no expert on our feathered friends, but am reasonably certain I just spotted a red kite circling my garden.
Absolutely majestic creature.

This ptarmigan would like a quick word.

All they have to do is scarf the nuts down and the gizzard does the rest.
Dinosaur biology,

It's not worry, as such. It's more that I underestimated them. I laughed and then thought 'how on earth can they digest that?'

They swallow large acorns whole Nurse . What worries you ? Is it that you would prefer smaller birds nibbling them as opposed to those greedy bastards ? 

There is a wood pigeon in my garden swallowing monkey nuts whole. I don't know how to feel about this. 

Nurse Ratched" wrote: ↑29 Jan 2025, 16:28 Here in the UK??

Here in the UK??

Saw a Bohemian Waxwing in local park around the corner yesterday. Luckily one of the people I was with is knowledgeable on birds and identified it, all I know is it looked very striking. Looked it up since and it was definitely it